Device for harvesting cabbage

ABSTRACT

A device for harvesting cabbages and other similar crops includes a frame carrying two endless conveyors arranged in side by side relation, the conveyors being provided with interleaved projections into which the stems of the crop are directed. The conveyors are inclined upwardly in a direction from the front to the rear of the device. The crop heads are directed onto a guide plate which also tapers up-wardly at a greater angle than the conveyors. The conveyor moves at the same rate as the frame, but in the opposite direction so that the stems are pulled perpendicularly out of the soil where they are then severed from the cabbage head. The severed heads are displaced to the rear of the device with the aid of a second conveyor while the stems may be returned to the ground.

United States Patent 1 Janssen 3,739,854 1 June 19, 1973 DEVICE FORHARVESTING CABBAGE [76] Inventor: Wilhelmus Henrieus Johannes Janssen,Scheepvaartweg 3, Roermond, Netherlands [22] Filed: June 7, 1971 [21]Appl. No.: 150,577

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feverstein 171/38 Lust 171/37Primary Examiner-Antonio F. Guida Attorney-Marechal, Biebel, French &'Bugg [57] ABSTRACT A device for harvesting cabbages and other similarcrops includes a frame carrying two endless conveyors arranged in sideby side relation, the conveyors being provided with interleavedprojections into which the stems of the crop are directed. The conveyorsare inclined upwardly in a direction from the front to the rear of thedevice. The crop heads are directed onto a guide plate which also tapersup-wardly at a greater angle than the conveyors. The conveyor moves atthe same rate as the frame, but in the opposite direction so that thestems are pulled perpendicularly out of the soil where they are thensevered from the cabbage head. The severed heads are displaced to therear of the device with the aid of a second conveyor while the stems maybe returned to the ground.

' 11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures DEVICE FOR HARVESTING CABBAGE Theinvention relates to a device for harvesting cabbage and suchlike cropsgrowing on stems.

The invention has for its object to provide such a device with the aidof which cabbage and suchlike crops can be harvested in an efficaciousand economic manner.

for harvesting cabbages and suchlike crops growing on stems, the devicecomprising a frame carrying two endless conveyors ranged side by sideand adapted to cooperate with each other and being inclined upwardly ina direction from the front to the rear of the device, the conveyorsbeing provided with inter-engaging-projections, guide means for the cropheads being arranged above the conveyors, said guide means being at agreater angle to the horizontal than the conveyors.

By means of this device, in operation, the stems can be gripped by theconveyors and be gradually pulled out of the soil, whilst owing to thedifference between the angles of inclination of the guide and the chainsthe cabbage plant can be drawn against the guide by its lower side sothat the plants invariably follow a given path across the device. It iseffective to arrange at the end of the guide at the same level as thelower side of the guide a knife for severing the cabbage head from thestem.

The conveyors are preferably provided with tines coupled with theconveying members so as to be relatively independently pivotable. Owingto this pivotal arrangement of the tines no undesirable forces willoccur in the conveyors and between the tines themselves, for example,near the turns of the endless conveyors. Since these undesirable forcesare avoided, high power is not required for driving the conveyors.Damaged tines can be readily replaced by new ones and it is furthermorepossible to replace given tines by tines of a different profile.

The conveyors are preferably formed by endless chains and the tines maybe provided with stops which are at least substantially in contact withthe links along straight portions of the chain. Thus, in a simple mannerI avoid the opposite chain portions being urged away from each other bythe cabbage stems, in which case they would loosen their grip on thestems. When using chains it is furthermore possible to cause rollers ofthe chains to run along guides, which also prevents the relativelycooperating chain portions from being urged away from each other.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, someembodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevation of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of part of an endless conveyor;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line IV-IV in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4, but of an endless conveyorcomprising two adjacent chains.

The device shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 comprises a frame 1, accommodatingtwo endless conveyors 2 and 3. The conveyors, which are located side byside, are guided at the front and at the rear around wheels adapted torotate about upwardly directed rotary According to the invention thereis provided a device shafts. The foremost wheels, located nearest theground, are spaced apart by such a distance that the front ends of theopposite portions of the two endless conveyors 2 and 3 are at a givendistance from each other, the opposite portions being guided so thatthey are parallel to each other and comparatively near each other forthe major part of their length, as will be apparent from FIG. 1. FromFIG. 2 it will furthermore be seen that the two conveyors are inclinedupwardly in the direction from the front to the rear of the device. Nearthe front ends of the two conveyors guide discs 4 are provided, whichare also adapted to rotate about upwardly inclined rotary shafts. Abovethe two conveyors 2 and 3 guide means including gutter-shaped screeningplates 5 and 6 respectively are arranged on the frame, the opposite rimsof which are spaced apart by a given distance A so that a slot 7 isformed between the plates 5 and 6.

It will be seen from FIG. 2 that the screening plates 5 and 6, which arealso inclined upwardly in the direction from the front to the rear ofthe device, are at a larger angle to the horizontal than the two endlessconveyors 2 and 3 so that the distance between the screening plates 5and 6 and the conveyors 2 and 3 gradually increases. Near the rear ofthe device two horizontal shafts 8 and 9 extend transversely of thedirection of length of the conveyors, around which shafts 8 and 9 anendless conveyor belt 10 is guided. The conveyor belt 10 has fastened toit plates ll of elastic material. Beneath the conveyor belt 10 a cuttingmember 12 is arranged.

The device can be coupled by means of coupling members (not shown), forexample, with the side of a tractor or a similar prime mover, for movingit in operation in the direction of the arrow A. The various parts ofthe device can be driven by a power take-off shaft of the tractor via anauxiliary shaft l3, which is coupled with a gear box 14 secured to theframe.

One form of endless conveyor is shown in detail in FIGS. 3 and 4. Fromthese Figures it will be apparent, that the endless conveyor is formedby a chain of links 15, which are pivoted to each other by means ofbolts or pins 16. Between the links rollers 17 are freely rotatableabout the bolts 16. About each of the bolts 16 a U-shaped bracket 18 isfreely pivotable, the limbs thereof being located one on each side ofthe chain. Bushings 19 are fastened to the limbs of each bracket 18, thebolt 16 being passed through them, whilst the links 15 of the chain andthe roller 17 are enclosed between them.

To the two ends of the bracket 18 are welded plates 20, connecting thelimbs with each other and being at right angles to the web of thebracket and projecting over said web over a given distance.

The side of the web of the bracket 18 remote from the links supports atine 21, fastened to the bracket and made of rubber, or similar elasticmaterial, and being integral with the oppositely extending mounting lugs22. The ends of the lugs 22 are in contact with the top ends of theplates 20. With the aid of clamping plates 23 and screws (not shown) thelugs 22 are clamped to the bracket 18. The frame is furthermore providedwith guide strips or rails 24, along which the rollers 17 can run.

In operation the device is moved across the field in the direction ofthe arrow A and the two endless conveyors 2 and 3 are driven so thattheir opposite portions move in a direction opposite to that of thearrow A. The conveyor belt 10 is driven so that the lower portion of theconveyor belt moves towards the rear. The device is moved across thefield so that the stems of the cabbages or similar crops are guidedbetween the opposite faces of the guide discs 4 and into the conveyors.

The stems are thus gripped between the tines of the opposite portions ofthe conveyors, whilst the cabbage itself slides along the topsides ofguide means or the gutter-shaped plates 5 and 6. Since the conveyors areinclined upwardly and rearwardly the stems will gradually be pulled outof the soil. The conveyors are preferably driven so that the rate ofrearward movement of the opposite portions of the conveyors is equal tothe rate of movement of the device over the ground so that the stems arepulled perpendicularly out of the soil. Since, in addition, thegutter-shaped screening plates 5 and 6 are slightly steeper than theendless conveying members 2 and 3, the stem will be pulled in a straightline and be passed in this position to the cutter 12, which severs itfrom the cabbage head. The severed cabbage head is displaced to the rearwith the aid of the conveyor belt 10 and collected for furthertransport. The severed stems may be dropped back to the ground.

FIG. 3 shows that the ends of the plates are in contact with the linksof the chain, where the chain is straight, at points located between thepivotal shafts 16. The plates 20 thus form stops, which prevent thechains from sagging in the downward direction as viewed in FIG. 3.Ithereby avoid the parallel chain portions being pushed away from eachother by stems jammed between the tines of the chains, which wouldloosen their grip on the stems. Such movements away from each other arefurthermore counteracted by guiding the rollers 17 along rails or strips24. FIG. 3 shows furthermore that the conveyors can be readily guidedround a wheel or the like without the tines impeding such a movement,since the tines are adapted to pivot independently of each other aboutthe pivotal shafts 16 with respect to the endless conveyor formed by thechain. Owing to the relative movements of the various parts of theendless conveyors and the tines relative to each other any sticking dirtor soil is readily loosened. If a tine 21 is damaged, it can be readilyreplaced by a new one independently of the other tines. In the event ofwear of parts of the endless conveyors and/or of their tines, thevarious parts can be readily replaced independently of each other. Thelinks may have a greater length if desired, so that a proportionallysmaller number of pivotal points is required. A further advantageresides in that different profiles for the tines 21 can be used, inaccordance with the crop to be harvested, the further parts of thedevice remaining the same.

FIG. 5 shows a second form of endless conveyor. The brackets 25 used inthis embodiment, to which the tines 21 are fastened, are slightly widerthan the brackets 18. By means of the bolts 26 two adjacent chains 27and 28 are coupled with the brackets 25. The rollers of the chains 27and 28 run along a broad supporting rail or strip 29. By using twoadjacent chains 27 and 28, the rollers of both of which are supported,the risk of tilting of the endless conveying members due to forcesexerted on the tines is substantially reduced.

What I claim is:

l. A device for harvesting cabbages and suchlike crops growing on stems,the device comprising a frame carrying two endless conveyors arrangedside by side and adapted to cooperate with each other and being inclinedupwardly in a direction from the front to the rear of the device, saidconveyors being provided with interengaging tines to grip the stems,said tines being mounted on endless chains such that the tines areindependently pivotal with respect to each other and the links of thechains, guide means for the crop heads being arranged above theconveyors and including means forming a slot immediately above saidconveyor through which the stems may extend, said guide means being at agreater angle to the horizontal than the conveyors to insure that theheads will engage said guide means, and cutting means arrangedsubstantially level with the lower side of the guide means near the rearend of said guide means to remove the stems immediately below the heads.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the conveyors compriseendless chains.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which independently pivotable tinesare pivoted to the chains at pivotal joints between the chain links.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 in which the tines are provided withstops which contact the links of the chain along straight portions ofthe chain.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 in which the chain is provided withrollers adapted to run along guides provided on the frame on the side ofthe chain remote from the tines.

6. A device as claimed in claim 4 in which the tines are coupled withthe chain by means of U-shaped brackets.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, in which the tines are detachablysecured to the brackets.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7 in which the tines are made of elasticmaterial.

9. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which the distance between twoconsecutive pivotal shafts of a chain is at least substantially equal tothe distance between two consecutive tines.

10. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which the two endless conveyorsare formed by two adjacent chains both provided with rollers, whilst theframe comprises guide members for the rollers.

11. The device of claim 1 further including a pair of guide discs andmeans mounting said guide discs on inclined rotary shafts at the frontof said frame, said guide discs directing crop heads onto said guidemeans.

1. A device for harvesting cabbages and suchlike crops growing on stems,the device comprising a frame carrying two endless conveyors arrangedside by side and adapted to cooperate with each other and being inclinedupwardly in a direction from the front to the rear of the device, saidconveyors being provided with inter-engaging tines to grip the stems,said tines being mounted on endless chains such that the tines areindepenDently pivotal with respect to each other and the links of thechains, guide means for the crop heads being arranged above theconveyors and including means forming a slot immediately above saidconveyor through which the stems may extend, said guide means being at agreater angle to the horizontal than the conveyors to insure that theheads will engage said guide means, and cutting means arrangedsubstantially level with the lower side of the guide means near the rearend of said guide means to remove the stems immediately below the heads.2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the conveyors compriseendless chains.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which independentlypivotable tines are pivoted to the chains at pivotal joints between thechain links.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 3 in which the tines areprovided with stops which contact the links of the chain along straightportions of the chain.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 4 in which thechain is provided with rollers adapted to run along guides provided onthe frame on the side of the chain remote from the tines.
 6. A device asclaimed in claim 4 in which the tines are coupled with the chain bymeans of U-shaped brackets.
 7. A device as claimed in claim 6, in whichthe tines are detachably secured to the brackets.
 8. A device as claimedin claim 7 in which the tines are made of elastic material.
 9. A deviceas claimed in claim 2 in which the distance between two consecutivepivotal shafts of a chain is at least substantially equal to thedistance between two consecutive tines.
 10. A device as claimed in claim2 in which the two endless conveyors are formed by two adjacent chainsboth provided with rollers, whilst the frame comprises guide members forthe rollers.
 11. The device of claim 1 further including a pair of guidediscs and means mounting said guide discs on inclined rotary shafts atthe front of said frame, said guide discs directing crop heads onto saidguide means.